Does
a new year follow a new start and new life? British historian J.M Robert points
out the arbitrariness of calendars and sees no necessary connection in the
causation of the events in by looking at history in an annul manner. It is
indeed unlikely that a democratic Hong Kong would arrive overnight or the Israel-Pakistani
hatred be dissolved after midnight. Many of us are celebrating all the same. Even
a five year old know that Cinderella the lady turns back into Cinderella the laywoman
as clock strikes. Magic is transitory, so are celebration of a night, and
pleasure. Life goes on. People still suffer and starve. It is, however a
convenient time for us to pause and review the tumultuous past. Should there be anything that we hold firm
about in the world of uncertainty, it is that the fortune of human beings hangs
on a thread of the mercy of nature, as well as the will of human beings
themselves. I am reminded again by the news on the last night of 2014.
What hit
the headline on the first day of a new year fits as a perfect footnote to this
point. 35 people were trampled dead in Shanghai Bund, as the jostling crowd was
out of order and was after the bar-vouchers thrown from the building. A pleasant
night ended up a nightmare. This echoes neatly to stampede happened in Lan Kwan
Fong in 1993, Hong Kong. The British Hong Kong Government conducted an inquest
into this event afterwards. This reflection laid ground for a better crowd control
in years to come. Back in 2015 Shanghai, whether it was a mismanagement of crowd
control that could be avoided, or an accident, an independent investigation is
needed to ensure a lesson is learnt and thus reduces the likelihood of its
repetition. However this will inevitably touch upon a question of police
accountability and responsibility. Any suggestion of this sort in the Mainland
can be seen and interpreted as a menace of national security. But an open
review from the authority is significant in avoiding repetition of such tragedy.
This is not an issue about national security and a pride of the administration,
but how people in power value and respect human lives. This should be one of
the many aspirations on the long catalogue of “Chinese Dream”.
A lot more
men-made disasters can be avoided if people in power take human lives more seriously.
We should be pleased that at least we could make a difference in something, as
there are circumstances under which we can do little about. My heart goes with
the family and friends of the passengers and crews on the QS8501 flight. It is
believed that it went into an aerodynamic stall as the pilot climbed steeply to
avoid storm. It serves as a heart-ending and cruel reminder of human beings’
subjection to pure chance and randomness in life. People manage to muddle
through, some by cultivating a faith in religion, some by deriving consolation
from reading literature like Greek Tragedy. The story of Oedipus the King
portrays fatalism at its best, with its dramatic storyline. This unexpected
disunion of people comes as a sudden blow that has no detectable hints. There
are around 100, 000 flights in the air every day. The percentage of accidents
is still incredibly low. A live with unknown future in which we are all placed is
no difference from Oedipus. Today, people living in developed world are in many
aspects of life, entrust our lives upon those who do not know and never meet.
From food and transportation we assume a comfortable position and take security
and safety for granted. Despite an advancement and maturity of science and
technology, a train of accidents in the air proves that human beings have never
been so relied and fragile on such transportation, and never have we put as
much faith as with our own lives in them.
One may easily
find as many reasons to be optimistic as being pessimistic about the future. The
Guardian Editorial reviewed 2014 as a year riddled with troubles as it did with
many other years in the past, but it also counter-balanced its editorial view
with an article titled “Not such a bad year after all.” We can do little with
things like storm and thunderbolt. But for things that we are able to improve
and make a difference, do it in a resolute manner with gentle words.
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